Qualified outside Scotland (teacher)
Introduction
GTC Scotland is the independent regulator for teachers in Scotland. We work in the public interest to enhance trust in teachers by setting, upholding and promoting high standards. Our work is funded by the registration fee that teachers and college lecturers in Scotland pay.
We welcome registration applications from individuals qualified outside Scotland who intend to teach in Scotland.
It is a legal requirement for all those employed as teachers in Scottish schools to be registered with GTC Scotland. To be eligible to apply for registration an applicant must have a suitable teaching qualification and academic qualification.
The current registration fee is £75 for all registrants and covers the period 1 April to 31 March. The fee remains the same irrespective of the point during this period at which you join or leave the Register, and will not be reduced pro rata.
Teachers who apply via the Qualified Outside Scotland (QOS) route have their qualifications assessed against our Registration and Standards Rules 2015. We carry out individual assessment of QOS applications, which includes thorough checks of an applicant’s qualifications, their experience and their personal details, as well as criminal record and PVG scheme checks.
On average we receive 750 QOS applications a year – and about 90% of these are successful because the individual meets our criteria. Any refusals to register are appealable to the Court of Session.
Our registration process plays an important role in ensuring that teachers in Scotland meet the high standards required to enter the profession. We set and uphold teaching standards in the public interest and as a safeguard for the quality of education.
How much does it cost to register?
Not a member of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme
- Application Assessment Fee: £185 (non-refundable)
- To join PVG Scheme: £59
- Annual Registration Fee: £75
Total: £319
Existing member of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme
- Application Assessment Fee: £185 (non-refundable)
- Level 2 (PVG) Disclosure application: £18
- Annual Registration Fee: £75
Total: £278
Application processing time
Qualified outside of Scotland registration applications are individually assessed. At present, it can take up to 3 months for fully completed applications (i.e. without any missing documents) to be assigned to a Registration Case Officer for assessment. The majority of applications are processed in date order of a fully completed application being submitted.
We advise individuals to wait until they receive the outcome of registration applications before applying for teaching posts in Scotland. We welcome applications from all over the world and it is not necessary to be resident in Scotland, or to have the offer of employment in Scotland, to apply.
Changes to the requirements for full registration
We enacted a refreshed Provisional Registration and Probationary service policy on 1 August 2023.
This will mean changes to the requirements for Full Registration.
We recommend that applicants read the Registrants who have been awarded Provisional Registration with no teaching service required article for further advice.
Teaching in England
If you intend to register with GTC Scotland so that you can teach in England, please note the changes made to the QTS route in England by the UK Government.
Eligibility and guidance
If you do not meet all of the requirements set out below, you could be considered for Provisional (Conditional) Registration. Read more about Provisional (Conditional) Registration.
- Eligibility information
- Pre-application guidance (frequently asked questions) This guidance includes a list of qualifications which we have previously accepted as meeting requirements for Provisional, Provisional (Conditional) and Full Registration with GTC Scotland.
Teacher education
If you have not completed your teacher education please do not apply. You should wait until you have successfully completed the full teacher education programme and your awarding higher education institution is able to provide you with written confirmation. If you apply before this we will not be able to assess your application and we will not be able to refund your processing fee.
Headteachers
Prospective headteacher candidates with headship qualifications gained outwith Scotland must first demonstrate eligibility for full registration (as a teacher in a Scottish school) with GTC Scotland in order to apply for SFH equivalency.
Once full registration has been demonstrated, candidates wishing to apply for SFH Equivalency must complete the application form below.
Qualifications will be assessed on the following basis as meeting the SFH:
- the qualification is supported by a university;
- the qualification is accredited by a national education body in relation to the post of headteacher/principal;
- the qualification is equivalent to 60 credits at SCQF 11 and is likely underpinned with other learning at this level;
- the qualification content includes level 11 learning with a focus on developing as a strategic educational leader and leading strategic educational change.
Application checklist
If you submit your application without uploading all the required documents this will lead to delays in the assessment of your application. We will contact you to request missing documentation. We can only allow 28 days for you to provide missing documents and your application will be closed if we do not receive these within this timeframe.
Teaching employment
We will ask you to confirm the following in your application:
- school name(s)
- dates of employment
Please do not provide details of the following:
- voluntary service
- teaching assistant/language assistant posts
- nursery/early years practitioner posts
- private tutoring
- after school classes/clubs
- service given as part of your student teaching practice
- service given before you qualified as a teacher
This is because these cannot be considered towards the Teaching Service requirement.
We can consider supply teaching towards the teaching service requirement. However, please do not provide details of employment/recruitment agencies. Instead, please provide details of schools where you taught.
Referees
Before you start your application, please obtain contact details of referees who are happy to support your application for registration with GTC Scotland. Your referees must be either the headteacher or deputy headteacher of the school(s) where you taught.
Please note that for Full Registration to be awarded, the teacher education, academic education and teaching service requirements must all be met. Additionally, a recommendation for Full Registration must be obtained from a headteacher or senior leader who currently holds Full (General) Registration with GTC Scotland. This means that, in most cases where an individual is eligible for registration, Provisional Registration will be awarded and a short period of teaching service (minimum 20 days FTE) will need to be completed in a Scottish school before Full Registration can be achieved.
Further information is provided in the Provisional Registration section of our website.
Information required
We will ask you for this information about your referees:
- their full name
- their work email address
How we contact your referees
We will contact your referees directly via email, once your application has been received. They will be asked to complete a Confirmation of Employment form and return it to us.
All forms must be completed in English so that they can be read and understood by your Registration Case Officer. You may want to contact your referee to check whether there is an English-speaking member of staff currently employed at the school who would be able to assist with completing the form in English.
FAQs
My referee is no longer employed at the school where I taught. What do I do?
We are able to accept Confirmation of Employment forms completed by a headteacher or senior leader who is no longer employed at the school where you taught.
In this case the school (or the Local Education Authority) will need to confirm in writing that your nominated referee was the headteacher or senior leader at the school when you were employed there.
You will be required to submit this statement with your application for registration.
I work on a supply basis. Can I nominate my employment/recruitment agency as my referee?
Please do not nominate employment agency consultants as your referees.
We require a copy of your original qualification certificate issued by the University/College or alternative proof as outlined below. This is a mandatory document and you will be unable to submit the application unless uploaded.
Details you will be asked to enter in the application form:
- the title of your teacher qualification
- name of awarding education institution
- country where you qualified
- date of the award
- age range of pupils, and subject(s) your teacher qualification relates to
We will not be assessing your licensure/certification entitlements.
If you are yet to be issued with your award certificate
If you have recently completed your teacher qualification, you should provide an official statement from the awarding education institution where you qualified, giving the following information:
- the title of the qualification
- the date on which you passed the qualification
- that you are not subject to any appeals process
- that there are no known impediments to you being issued with your teaching qualification certificate at graduation
If you have lost/no longer have a copy of the document
You will need to provide an official statement from the awarding education institution, confirming the title of your teacher qualification and the date of the award.
We need clear scans of photographs of forms of identity to confirm:
- name (e.g. birth certificate, passport)
- date of birth (e.g. birth certificate, passport)
- current address (e.g. utility bill, bank statement, UK drivers licence)
One of these must be a photo ID.
We are required by Disclosure Scotland to obtain these documents in order for us to issue you with a link to the PVG/EPVG application form.
If you are using your passport as one of these forms of ID, the image below shows an example of the passport page required. This page should show your photograph and details.
As part of the assessment process, we will check whether your teacher qualification is comparable to the Scottish pattern of initial teacher education. We will not be assessing your licensure/certification entitlements.
We need the following information to be confirmed by the awarding education institution:
- the age range your teacher qualification relates to
- what curriculum subject area(s) were covered by your subject studies (i.e. the studies within your teacher qualification that related to the teaching and learning of either the primary curriculum or one or more secondary curriculum subject areas)
- that teaching practice observed and assessed by the awarding higher education institution was included
- what curriculum subject area(s) you completed as part of your student teaching practice and the age range to which you taught these subject area(s)
If the above is not clear from your teacher qualification transcript, you will also need to provide an official statement from the education institution where you qualified, clearly confirming the above information.
You need to upload this document during the application process.
If you qualified via a postgraduate programme (e.g. Post Graduate Certificate in Education), you need to provide a copy of your undergraduate degree certificate.
It should confirm the name of the awarding education institution, the title of the qualification and the date of the award.
You need to upload this document during the application process.
If you were awarded ‘advanced standing’ onto your degree you should also provide a certificate of your previous higher education award (e.g. if you entered your degree at Year 3 level, after previously completing an HND, you will need to include a copy of your HND Certificate and transcript).
You need to upload this document during the application process.
If you no longer have a copy
If you no longer have a copy of this document (e.g. lost or stolen) you will need to provide an official letter or email from the awarding body, confirming the title of your undergraduate degree (or equivalent qualification) and the date of the award.
You will also need to upload this document during the application process.
What do we mean by an ‘equivalent qualification’
As part of the assessment process, we will contact the UK National Academic Information Centre (UK ENIIC) to obtain confirmation of the academic standing of the qualification(s) that you hold.
An academic qualification will be regarded as equivalent to a United Kingdom degree if it is either:
- recognised as such by the UK ENIC
- has been undertaken at an institution that is recognised by the UK ENIC and has borne the equivalent of 120 credit points at Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework (SCQF) level 7 (or above), 120 credit points at SCQF level 8 (or above) and 120 credit points a SCQF level 9 (or above)
This is a year-by-year breakdown of the subjects studied during your degree.
The transcript may be referred to as a diploma supplement, a statement of learning, a record of achievement, or similar depending on the education institution you studied at.
It should:
- Include the credit weighting and level of each module
- Be stamped and signed by the registry/records office of the awarding body
- Be on the awarding body’s letterheaded paper
- If your study pre-dates credit weightings:
- Clearly state all the modules studied
- State whether or not you have passed each module.
If the awarding education institution is unable to provide you with a copy of this document, you should ask them to issue you with an official statement confirming the reason (e.g. they no longer hold any records for you).
If you were awarded ‘advanced standing’ onto your degree you should also provide a transcript of your previous higher education award (e.g. if you entered your degree at Year 3 level, after previously completing an HND, you will need to include a copy of your HND transcript).
You need to upload this document during the application process.
This is a breakdown of the modules/courses completed during your teacher qualification.
If the awarding institution is unable to provide you with a copy of this document, you should ask them to issue you with an official statement confirming the reason (for example, they no longer hold any records for you).
This can either be a Marriage Certificate or Deed Poll document.
We require a criminal record check from applicants who have spent 6 months or more (in a single period) in a non-UK country in the last 5 years. If this applies to you please read the important information on our criminal record checks page.
All applicants are required to be a member of Disclosure Scotland’s Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. Learn more about the PVG scheme.
If you wish to register to teach a modern foreign language, you must meet the residency requirement for Modern Foreign Language teachers.
If you have not met the requirement, please see our section on Provisional (Conditional) Registration.
We require all documents that are not in English to be officially translated. We would recommend that you visit Association of Translation Companies where you can find your nearest translation company. You can also find details of freelance translators on the website of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting.
Apply
A few things to note before you start:
- This application has a total of 9 pages, all pages are to be completed.
- You will be unable to submit your application unless you have uploaded the required documentation listed above. You must upload these as individual files: please do not combine all of your documents in one file.
- Preferred document formats are PDF and Microsoft Word. We cannot accept HEIC files.
- You will be unable to save and print a hard copy to send to GTC Scotland.
- When you start your application you will be asked to register for an account. This will allow you to begin an application.
- If you do not begin your application within 30 days your account will be closed.
- Once you begin the application, you will have 30 days in which to complete it.
- Add gtcs@gtcs.org.uk to your Safe Senders list (for gmail) or Contacts (for Outlook). This will ensure that important correspondence from GTCS will reach you.